Device for transporting drilling rigs over a support surface



Qct. 21, 1969 o, MEZHLUMOV ET AL 3,473,624

DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING DRILLING RIGS OVER A SUPPORT SURFACE Filed Dec. 4, 1967 3,473,624 DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING DRELLING RIGS OVER A SUPPORT SURFACE Gnik Arsenievich Meziilumov and Viktor Ivanovich Muravlenko, Tjumen, Vladimir Fedorovich Turik, Chelyabinsk, Evgeny Aliimovich Postnov and Vladimir Alexandrovich Shibanov, Tjumen, Konstantin Stepanovich Fonarev, Cheiyabinsk, Avzaletdin Gizyatullovich lsyangulov, and Mars Khamidulich Zinnatullin, Urai, Evgeny Ivanovich Sukhov, Viktor Petrovich Lapochkin, and Ruvin liosifovich Serper, Chelyabinsk, Vladimir Mikhailovich Koksharov, Urai, and Vladimir lvanovich Gorbunov, Kuibyshev, U.S.S.R., assignors to 'Gosudarstvenny Nauchno-Issledovatelsky liproektny Institut Giprotjumenneftegaz, Tjumen, ul Lenina, U.S.S.R.

Filed Dec. 4, 1967, Ser. No. 687,616 Int. Cl. 360v l/16, 1/00 US. Ci. 18 3-127 3 Claims ABSTRAtIT OF THE DISCLOSURE A transport device for drilling rigs, wherein an elastic deflector has a free end connected to the lower portion of a base with an airtight cover while merging with an airtight cover on a frame mounted in cantilever fashion around the perimeter of the base, whereby when compressed air is introduced beneath the base by a compressor carried thereon, a gap is formed between the now inflated deflector and the ground.

The present invention relates to the transportation of operational and prospecting drilling rigs from one drilling site to another by traction machines.

It is known, that after drilling a well or a group of wells the drilling rigs are transported to a new drilling site. As a rule, these rigs are disassembled into transportable units and carried by ground vehicles or aircraft to a new drilling site where they are reassembled for operation. This involves a great amount of labor and a low economical efliciency. The expenditures of materials and money are even higher when short-distance trips are involved.

Moreover, transportation of drilling rigs over boggy ground proves to be impossible even in the disassembled condition due the high specific ground pressures created by the undercarriage of the tractors hauling the rig units.

The elimination of the aforesaid difliculties and disadvantages constitutes the object of the present invention.

This object is attained by providing an arrangement for transporting drilling rigs by traction machines over the ground with a low carrying capacity, said arrangement requiring but small tractive forces and allowing reduction of the disassembly and reassembly jobs to the maximum possible extent.

In accordance with the invention, the base of the drilling rig is made essentially air-tight and the space between the base and the ground is covered by an elastic deflector running around the rig perimeter; air is supplied under pressure into the space under the base of the moving rig for creating and maintaining an air cushion.

It is recommended to secure the deflector so that its free edge is turned towards the base. This will insure smaller air leaks from under the rig base.

The device further comprises a frame cantilevered around the rig base perimeter, said frame being covered with an air-tight material merging into the elastic deflector whose free end is fastened to the lower part of the base, said base carrying a compressor plant for supplying the compressed air into the space under said base.

In one of the embodiments of the invention, the frame is made as a system of articulated links hinged by the nited States Patent "ice end link to the upper portion of the base and by flexible braces to the lower portion of the base. This is practicable because in the absence of the air cushion under the rig base, the frame can be folded or lowered under its own weight into an initial position at the sides of the base.

It is practicable to use the power plant of the drilling rig for driving the compressor plant supplying compressed air into the space under the rig base.

The main advantage of the invention consists in a substantial reduction of the specific pressure exerted by the rig on the ground, in improving the passability of the rig and reducing the tractive force required.

Another advantage consists in the possibility of transporting the rig as an entire unit, disassembly and subsequent reassembly of the equipment being unnecessary.

Now the invention will be described by Way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic fragmentary view of the drilling rig with the transporting device, according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a fragmentary plan view of the same mg.

The drilling rig is usually comprised of a derrick 1 (FIG. 1) mounted on a base 2 made as a three-dimensional girder structure supporting power plants 3, i.e. a Diesel engine and an electric power plant, driving the drilling machanisms (omitted in the drawing).

The upper portion of the base 2 is closed by an airtight material 4 which can be either rubberized canvas, plywood or steel and iron sheets. To increase the lifting power, the base 2 is provided around the perimeter with a cantilever-mounted frame 5 (FIG. 1 and 2) likewise closed by an air-tight material 6 which may be located either outside or inside the frame 5.

Said frame is made up from a system of articulated links 7 and 8 hinged by the end link to the upper portion of the base 2 and by flexible braces 9 to its lower part.

The air-tight material 6 covering the frame 5 is connected with an elastic deflector 10 which covers the space between the ground and the base 2 from the sides. These measures make the base 2 essentially air-tight. The lower free end of the deflector 10 is turned up and fastened to the lower portion of the base 2 so as to form a gap 11 under said base between the deflector 10 and the ground through which the air can escape after the creation of the air cushion. The convexity of the deflector 10 formed by the pressure of air allows the lower portion of said deflector to follow the contour of the ground during transportation and the gap 11 remains uniform around the entire perimeter of the air cushion. The size of the gap 11 may vary with the contour of the ground and tensioning of the flexible braces 9.

The compressor plant 12 pumping compressed air under the base 2 for making and maintaining the air cushion is installed directly on the base being powered by the same power plant 3 which drives the drilling mechanisms. This renders the device comparatively inexpensive.

Given below is a description of the operation for the transportation of the drilling rig.

On completion of the drilling operations, the frame 5 is extended (if it has been folded), the traction machines, preferably crawler tractors (not shown on the drawing) are connected to the base 2, and the compressor plant 12 is activated to pump compressed air into the space under the base 2. This reduces both the specific ground pressure of the rig and the resistance to traction.

The drilling rig supported by the air cushion is transported in assembled state to a new drilling site where its supports are mounted on a foundation prepared in advance.

On solid soils, the rig may be transported with part of its weight resting on the ground through its undercarriage (wheels, runners, skis, etc.).

Experiments have shown that the drilling rig can be transported assembled over the ground on the air cushion by helicopters used as a transporting means.

The rig can also be easily transported on water, like a hover ferry.

The described method and device provide a great saving in labor and costs for transporting the drilling rigs, particularly over boggy ground, since they dispense with the necessity of building temporary roads on bogs.

The industrial employment of the invention has established that the labor requirement for the loading and erecting Work has been cut down 4 times and the number of service mechanisms 6- times as compared With the most advanced methods of transportation of the operational and prospecting drilling rigs.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for transporting drilling rigs over a support surface, said device comprising a base having upper and lower ends, an airtight cover on the upper end of said base, a frame mounted on and encircling said base in cantilever fashion, said frame comprising articulated, interconnected links, an airtight cover on said frame, an elastic deflector connected to said frame and base and forming a resilient, peripheral support member for the device, said deflector having a free annular edge con- 4 nected to the lower end of the base, flexible braces connecting said links of the frame to the lower end of said base, and a compressor on said base for introducing compressed air therebeneath to raise the base and form a gap between the deflector and the support surface.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said links of said frame comprise inner links pivotably connected to said upper end of said base.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said deflector merges with an airtight cover on said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,182,739 5/1965 Cockerell -128 K 3,273,663 9/1966 Cockerell 180127 K 3,291,237 12/1966 Hopkins et al 180l27 3,321,039 5/1967 Watts 3 180-127 OTHER REFERENCES Moving Day, by R. A. Cole in Hovering Craft and Hydrofoil, vol. 6-, No. 11, August 1967, pp. 14-16.

A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R. 180-124 

